A Whale, Some Tales & A Bunch of Little Houses
by VerelLupin
Summary: Series of one shots. Our favorite characters meet their match at the Happiest Place on Earth.
1. Chapter 1

**This one will be in two parts as usual no need to have read the others. **

**Enjoy.**

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Since they had teamed up with his Uncle Derek, their missions had gotten more and more bizarre but this one took the cake. **'Of all places why here?' **

He was not in the mood to deal with anything this…cheery.

"Mom, why here? Do you really think machines have infiltrated this place?" Sarah Connor gave him her trademark tight lipped smile. "I guess that's a yes then." he snarled. Cameron dipped her head slightly ready to ask a question. "Don't Cam. Just." he trailed off.

Sarah hated when John got this way. It had been happening more and more often since his disastrous 16th birthday and she was determined to wipe that sardonic smile off his baby face.

"Derek and I will go scout out the area. You and Cameron blend in meanwhile." She handed a wad of cash to Cameron, "keep an eye on him at all times." She instructed the terminator and yanking Derek with her took off down Main Street.

"Great just you and me. If she really wanted us to blend in she could have let me ask Riley." John mumbled. He refused to look at Cameron but stuck his hands in his pockets guiltily. Unsure of where to go he talked as they ambled down the street.

"We better start looking like a couple…" his mind halted. **'A couple of what? Tourists, cute kids, siblings or maybe an actual couple.' **

He sneaked a glance at his companion. He had to admit it was tempting. After all nobody knew them here and his mom and uncle were nowhere in sight. Besides if he told Cameron not to tell, nobody would be the wiser. Yes it was very tempting but he would be courting trouble.

Said trouble turned to him clasping his hand. "We should appear friendly with each other." she said by way of explanation. John did not bother to correct her or remove his hand. It was only for today.

They made short work of the shops since he hadn't been here in so long. John didn't want to waste the day shopping. "The rides are spread out around the center hub of the park. This is the exact center of Disneyland." Cameron supplied.

He ignored her usual prattle and made a beeline for the matterhorn. It was his favorite ride and he figured what his mother didn't know would kill him. He hoped. They battled their way through the crowds and had to yank hard on Cameron who was scanning everybody.

She felt him drop her hand and she quickly stopped to see what had caused him to do such a hurtful thing. "I can't believe it. They ditched us for the teacups." he grumbled in disgust.

Cameron peered around him and scanned the two adults sitting in an oversize piece of crockery. "I did a facial scan and it is Sarah Connor and Derek Reese inside a giant cup. Why are they in a giant cup?" Cameron whispered quietly to John.

He replied with his own question, "You wanna ride the Matterhorn, Cam?"

"What's a Matterhorn?" she asked.

"Never mind come on." John walked away knowing that she would be close behind him. "Cam, the matterhorn is this roller coaster that goes through… Cameron?" he glanced behind him. He spotted her standing still in front of a tall man pushing a wheelchair with a pregnant woman in it.

He groaned out loud and ran after her. He got there just in time to hear their exchange. "You're a large human." she said. "Thank you." The man answered surprised. "You are welcome." Cameron replied.

John wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her forward and away from the couple. "Sorry." he said. His hands were shaky and he valiantly put from his mind how perfectly she had fit in them.

Once out of earshot, he turned on her. "Don't do that. If mom sees, she'll think you saw Cromartie."

"That was not Cromartie. He is not that large. That man was also a cop which Cromartie isn't." It was a reasonable answer but he still shook his head before leading her to the Matterhorn. To his dismay he saw the ride was closed.

"Dammit. I love that ride." Exasperated he sat on the bench. Cameron followed his example huffing indignantly. They sat together people watching but he was restless. **'Mom, didn't say I couldn't explore.' **He jumped up from the bench once more lacing his hand through hers. "Come on."

They approached the teacups but his relatives weren't there.

"Why are people waiting in line to get eaten by that large mammal?" she asked.

"What?" he saw what she was pointing at and burst out laughing. "It's a ride. You get on this boat and enter the whale's mouth and…" he paused.

"John?"

"I don't know. I've never been on it." he finished. It wasn't surprising he'd only come once with a neighbor kid for his 13th birthday. "Let's see what's on the other side."

Cameron nodded. "Ten minutes from this point. That is not accurate it would take less than two minutes to cross over."

"They mean the wait time. Stop being weird." he elbowed her.

They arrived at the dock but Cameron wouldn't budge. "I cannot go on it."

John could feel his face heating up, her behavior was getting them looks and being in the spotlight terrified him. "Just get in. It's safe." he shoved her a little.

"I cannot swim. It would be unwise. If you fall in I cannot effectively save you. I must protect you." she said looking back over her shoulder at him.

He swallowed hastily, her face was just a breath away and her brown eyes were wide with dissapointment. "I won't fall in." he said patting her arm.

"Promise?"

It still made his heart leap when she looked at him that way. As if he could fix any problem and knew every solution. He figured from where she was he was the highest authority. He tore his gaze from her mouth. "Promise."


	2. Chapter 2

**It started out as funny and turned into a fluff fest. I apologize. I have no idea where it came from. **

**I will be updating Now He Needs Her. **

**I just had like double shifts to the tenth power. **

**Enjoy...**

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"Is she afraid of falling in?" A cast member asked delicately.

John shook his head, "she's never been in a boat before." Technically that was not a lie. He sincerely doubted that they had many lakes left in the future.

Cameron grabbed John's arm, "I will be fine. Thank you."

The cast member smiled back and began ushering them into the boat. Since Cameron went first the workers did not notice the shift of balance until after John and another couple had entered the boat. The captain looked at the readout on the wheel and shook his head at his partner signaling no more passengers.

John could feel his face heat up in embarrassment. He had forgotten that Cameron's chassis had to have more weight than was expected of her seemingly tiny frame.

They pulled away from the dock and the woman introduced herself as Hannah. They began their journey and immediately John noticed that Cameron was scanning the inside of the whale.

"_He sneezed so hard, he blew his tail right out." Hannah continued._

"John, it is unlikely. No mammal could survive with this amount of tissue damage. It would most likely bleed to death." Cameron said a little too loudly.

The other couple stared at Cameron and the woman looked a little greener around the gills.

John gripped Cameron's hand. He leaned and whispered into her ear. "It's all make believe. Just pretend, ok." He squeezed her fingers and she tilted her head in understanding.

"…_the cave of the big bad wolf and right across the way the homes of the three little pigs."_

"The wolf ate two of the pigs and was killed by the third." Cameron supplied and John had to suppress a laugh at the absolutely horrified look on Hannah's face.

The woman faltered for a second but pressed on_. "Next is the cottage of Alice where she followed the cobblestone path to the hole of the rabbit. Where Alice fell down, down, down to begin her adventures."_

"Alice did not suffer fractures from her fall." Cameron scanned the miniature and calculated that at the approximate scale and velocity that Alice would have suffered a broken arm at the very least.

"No, she didn't." the couple both answered annoyed at what they supposed was an obnoxious teenage girl.

"It is improbable but John says it is make believe." She beamed at the boy next to her, "John is always right." She concluded.

"She's…not from around here." John supplied, his face the color of a setting sun. The couple exchanged strange looks but said nothing.

She remained quiet as they continued the journey past the park of Peter pan and towards the replica of the city of Agrabah. "We should go there. You could be very well hidden by the traditional clothing." Cameron added.

John smiled tightly hoping that it would end Cameron's observations.

"_Where Aladdin and Jasmine met for the first time and fell in love."_

"Did you fall in love with me when I first met you?" Cameron asked. John turned so swiftly that if Cameron had not had a death grip on his arm he might have toppled over and into the water.

"Cam!"

"I found you very attractive but that was not my function." She said it in an almost wistful way and John wondered if her programming allowed all human emotions or just sets of them.

"I…I thought you were very pretty." He replied uncomfortably.

"Thought? You do not think so now." Cameron made a move to stand as if to model herself to John but he quickly clasped her hands and kept her sitting. Hannah glared at them but continued talking despite the none too gentle rocking of the boat.

"_Just beyond that are the jewel mines where the dwarves whistle why they work."_

"Jewel mines. I bet Mom and Derek would love that."

"I still have my diamond," Cameron pulled on a chain and withdrew a necklace from beneath her shirt.

The couple and even the captain were quiet as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"_Coming up is Toad's home from the wind in the willows but nobody is home as they are in an adventure to nowhere in particular."_

The duo remained silent and John chanced a glance at Cameron. Now that she wasn't analyzing everything and asking questions every five minutes, the wonder of the world around was finally sinking in. John was very grateful that his mother and uncle had ditched them and that the Matterhorn had been closed.

"_Up ahead is the Alpine village of Pinocchio. It was first in that workshop that Geppeto wished upon a star for Pinocchio to become a real boy."_

"John?" she took advantage that the couple was engaged in taking pictures of the village to ask.

"Mmmm."

"Do you think if I wished upon a star…that I could become a real girl too?" her question was so low that John had to strain to hear her.

"What?"

"If I wish upon a star, can I become a real girl too?"

Her brown eyes were locked on his intently, begging for the answer only he could give her. "Oh, Cam."

She dropped her head and he wondered if she was recalling what he had said about everything in this place being make believe.

"_Where Ariel from the little mermaid took her very first steps on dry land. That Eric and Ariel now live in this palace by the sea as a part of our world."_

He didn't answer her question until the dock came closer.

"_So please for your safety, keep your arms, hands and feet in the boat until it comes to a complete stop."_

They rose all together and the cast members helped out the woman and her companion and then John. Cameron got out and the boat lurched a bit making Hannah grab for her perch. The woman was a professional as she hid her distress very well.

"_And of course, I hope you all live happily ever after." _

John waited at the gate, keeping it open for her. "Cameron come here." Cameron moved out of the way and they walked down the path. She bumped into dark haired boy with round glasses, the redhead behind him excused them and she smiled happily at John before moving off.

Cameron felt an irrational urge to follow the much too friendly redhead.

"Cam. You don't need to wish upon a star." John began and he nervously rubbed his neck.

"Is it because it's not real?" again that tiny touch of humanity that made his stomach flutter.

"No, because. I like you how you are. If you were a real girl you could get hurt." He intertwined his hand with hers, "I would be upset if that happened."

"If I was real, I could not protect you. That would upset me." Cameron said scrutinizing their hands.

"Guess you better not change." The first genuine smile since the explosion completely changed his face. It made him look his age again. It happened like magic and in a way that could only happen at the center of the happiest place on earth.

She laced her fingers through his hair and brought his mouth down for a kiss. He was deep in the sensations of what made up Cameron but as usual it didn't last long. "Your mother is behind you as is Derek. They have a strange expression on their faces." She whispered against his mouth.

"They'll get over it. She did tell you to keep me close and out of trouble." He said sardonically.

"You are always right, John." Cameron replied and kissed him again.


End file.
